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An Amazing 18th Century-Inspired Rolls-Royce

Edited By: Jake R.

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Last year the famed Bonhams auction house of London saw one of the most famous Rolls-Royces ever built roll across its auction block. This beautiful Phantom One has an interior inspired by 18th-Century France, and is simply one of the most lavish interiors ever put into a car. Its unbelievable uniqueness deserves to be seen by the world, so here is this spectacular one-off in all its glory:

Click on images to enlarge

This unique Rolls-Royce Phantom I was built in 1926 for American businessman, Clarence Gasque.

It was a gift for his wife, Maude.

Maude Gasque was a British retail chain heiress who had a penchant for 18^th Century French history and design.

As a result, Mr. Gasque commissioned the car with a French-themed interior.

He did not set a budget limit for Rolls-Royce to stick to.

The interior was entrusted to coachbuilders Charles Clark and Sons, of Wolverhampton, UK.

A Marie Antoinette sedan chair that the owner saw in a museum provided much inspiration for their work.

Bonhams

The spectacular result is more akin to the throne room in the Palace of Versailles than a car’s interior. Indeed, the interior of the car was inspired by the opulence of the Palace of Versailles, featuring a tapestry by the French carpet makers Aubusson that took nine months to create, costing a significant sum. The car's interior also includes ornate details like a bow-fronted drinks cabinet resembling an antique commode and naked cherubs featured in painted scenes and as lighting supports, all contributing to its throne-room-like ambiance. The overall cost of the car at the time reflected the no-expense-spared approach, with a significant portion of the budget allocated to the custom interior.

On delivery, the car cost $8,000, with the interior accounting for $5,500 of the total amount.

Converted into today’s money, the purchase price was over $430,000, while the interior alone was $300,000.

Details include a tapestry that took the craftsmen of Aubusson in France some nine months to make.

Naked cherubs appear in painted scenes throughout the interior, and as lighting supports in the rear corners.

A bow-fronted drinks cabinet, resembling an antique commode or chiffonier, also features.

A small French ormolu clock, together with two French porcelain vases, can also be seen to the left.

Sadly, Clarence passed away just two years after giving this lavish gift to his wife.

Maude kept the car until 1952 when she sold it to a Rolls-Royce collector.

It has since been part of collections in both Japan and the USA prior to returning to the UK thanks to its most recent owner.

The Phantom of Love, as it is known, was up for auction at Bonhams of London on December 4th last year.

Content and Image Source: Bonhams

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